Gabrielle Chanel and Arthur Capel: the story of Coco, who loved but never married

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

When the legendary Coco Chanel fell in love, she asked the former mistress of her patron Emilienne d'Alanson: "What do you feel when you love - joy or longing?" To which the courtesan replied: "Where did you come from?" At that moment, both girls were almost friends, because, despite the fact that, by coincidence, these women were supposed to become bitter enemies, they even managed to make friends, and also win mutual respect for each other. Such was Koko - she knew how to understand people and was surprisingly different from other women of her era. Such was her true love - deep, real and unique.

Love brought Chanel both feelings, which she once asked Emilien about - genuine joy and deep melancholy. This love raised a simple girl to unattainable heights, and also made her the one that the whole world now knows - a trendsetter of unsurpassed style, charm and refined taste. And if it were not for this love, perhaps the inconspicuous Gabrielle Bonneur Chanel would have remained an ordinary dressmaker in one of the many sewing workshops. And she would never have had time to understand that she was deeply mistaken in the fact that love can only bring trouble.

Meeting with Etienne de Balzan

Growing up in a monastery shelter, Gabrielle Chanel was determined to do everything possible to break out of poverty and become her own in the highest circles. By the way, it was not easy, given that women were treated with prejudice in those days. Often, noble ladies were married of convenience, and people like Gabriel became the kept women of wealthy gentlemen. It was this fate that befell the young and rather attractive Chanel. Fate brought her to the reveler Etienne de Balzan, who was carried away by the future trendsetter in one of the cabarets, when the girl tried to sing the playful works of Ko Ko Ri Ko and Qui qu'a vu Coco. Thanks to these songs, Etienne named Gabriel Coco, and this name has forever entered her life, as a part of herself.

Eternal mistress

While being kept by Balzan, Chanel often endured humiliating attacks from him and began to understand that he had neither love nor respect for her. But the girl was in no hurry to leave him, because she saw the opportunity to start her own business - at this time she took her first steps in the fashion world, creating hats for Etienne's acquaintances. Carried away by only one passion - horses, the rich officer only scoffed at Chanel's works, considering her efforts to be an ordinary woman's whim. These taunts made Gabrielle unhappy and she lost faith in herself.

Meeting with the Combat

When his friend, the English entrepreneur Arthur Capel, came to Balzan, he immediately drew attention to Coco, unlike other women. The purposefulness and talent of an attractive girl did not escape a man with a delicate business instinct. Without knowing it, he instilled in Chanel the former self-confidence and supported all her dreams. Unlike Etienne, who constantly scoffed at the girl's passion for fashion, Arthur, whom everyone called Boy, admired Gabriel's tenacity. It was her fortitude and determination that conquered the experienced heartthrob, and he fell in love with her, not wanting to. His feelings were mutual. Coco, who despises love, gave her heart to a wealthy entrepreneur and did not hide her feelings.

Ironically, the passion that flared up between the closest people opened the eyes of Etienne de Balzan, and he realized that he was in love. To keep Koko, the officer decides to marry her. And it seemed that the door to the upper world was opening for Coco, but realizing that she could not live in such a marriage, without being able to see Boy, Chanel rejects Etienne's offer. But she also fails to marry Capel. Arthur decides to marry an Englishwoman of noble birth in order to strengthen his position in society. It breaks Gabrielle's heart, and she completely goes into work, not ceasing to love Boy.

Development of the novel

From the very beginning of Capel and Coco's acquaintance, Boy never ceases to support the proud Frenchwoman. He provides her with everything she needs to start a business, and Chanel quickly succeeds. Having already become financially independent, she will say bitter words to the married Boy: "You should just wait until I become famous and we would be happy." To which Arthur answered her: "Are we unhappy?" And, indeed, their love gave them happiness. Boy and Coco did not stop dating even after his marriage, and each of their dates gave both strength and great pleasure in each other's company.

But the usual life is destroyed by a terrible twist of fate: Coco receives the news that Boy was in a car accident. Capel failed to survive, and this news breaks Chanel's heart forever. Joy is replaced by a great longing for lost love. It was at this time that the legendary black dress, which the inconsolable Gabrielle created while in mourning for her lover, saw the light. A little later, Chanel will create the Coco Noir perfume, which will also be dedicated to this difficult period of her life.

Life after love

It is Boy's death that makes Coco completely immerse himself in work and close his heart from others forever. Of course, she will, later, have relationships with other men. But all these are fleeting hobbies that pass by without catching the feelings of proud Gabrielle. She did not believe in love until she met Boy. She believed in love, having met him, and was able to become happy in spite of everything. Chanel was able to conquer more than one worthy male heart, but she never gave her to anyone except Capel.

Despite the fact that, meeting with Boy, she dreamed of marriage, having lost her love, she never got married. The legendary woman designer, who made a breakthrough in the fashion industry, remained just Mademoiselle for everyone. The legendary and great Mademoiselle Coco Chanel. A woman who knew how to truly love and who became famous thanks to her all-consuming love.

BONUS

"You won't get a second chance to make a first impression." Coco Chanel.

a

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